HuTTON. — 071 Moa-skuUs. 563 



broad, as in Anomalornis and Pacliyornis, and very different 

 from Meionornis and Euryapteryx. The temporal fossa is much 

 the same as in Meionornis, the temporal ridge not extending 

 much over the cranial roof, and leaving a flat area between 

 it and the lambdoidal ridge. There is no mid-temporal ridge. 

 The roof of the orbital cavity, from the optic foramen towards 

 the middle of the upper margin of the orbit, is remarkably 

 flat, and is separated from the sharp ridge which forms the 

 anterior margin of the temporal fossa by a deep groove, as in 

 Anomalornis. The optic foramina are damaged, but, ap- 

 parently, they resemble those of Anomalornis parvus. 



Mandible.— This is stronger and straighter than in 3Ieio- 

 nornis, but not so robust as in Anomalornis parvus, nor so 

 pointed or so deflected as in Pacliyornis elcphantopns. The 

 articular cup is much expanded, the outer border reflexed, the 

 inner border quite low and with a pneumatic foramen on the 

 inner surface near the end of the internal angular process. 

 In these points it resembles the mandible of Anomalornis 

 and Pacliyornis, and differs from that of Meionornis and 

 Enryapteryx. The symphysis is longer than in M. casuarinus, 

 but not so long as in ^. parvus, which it otherwise resembles. 

 The ventral ridge is fairly well marked. 



The following measurements are all that can be given; 

 they are taken in the same way as those in Professor Parker's 

 paper : — 



Length of basis cranii, 28mra.; length to olfactory cham- 

 bers,^= 50mm. ; width at temporal foss£e, 42mm. ; distance 

 between temporal ridges, 36mm.; height of cranium, 37-5mm.; 

 distance between optic foramina, 10mm.; length of mandibular 

 ramus, 118mm. ; greatest height, 17-5mm. ; least height, 

 10-5mm.; length of symphysis, 17mm.; width of symphysis, 

 22-5mm. 



Both the cranium and the mandible closely resemble those 

 figured by Sir E. Owen under the name of Palapteryx in 

 " Extinct Birds of New Zealand," pi. 45, figs. 1-7 ; but in our 

 specimen the cranium is more arched, the temporal ridges do 

 not extend so far over it, and the occipital condyle is more 

 rounded in section. However, I believe the two to be con- 

 generic. 



The cranium agrees with that of Anomalornis parvus in 

 the_ broad post-temporal fossae, the groove on the roof of the 

 orbital cavities, and probably in the structure of the optic 

 foramina and pre-sphenoidal fossae. It agrees with that of 

 Meionornis casuarinus in the shape of the temporal fossiB and 



* Measured from the centre of the occipital condyle to the anterior 

 border of the upper portion of the septum separating the olfactory cham- 

 bers from the brain-cavity. 



